There are 12 regional reserve banks across the U.S., which serve as both banks for bankers and as the government's bank. In 2003, Chicago's Federal Reserve bank received and counted more than $50 billion, and destroyed more than $7 billion in unfit currency. A walk through the visitors center of this large, heavily fortified building lets you see a giant rotating cube with $1 million inside, lets you try and spot counterfeit money and lets you follow the life cycle of a dollar bill. It's interactive and it's free. At 1 p.m. each weekday, there is a 45-minute guided tour of the visitor's center.

Centerstage Reviewer: J. Tyson